Bikram Yoga

This week I completed one of my goals for the year, trying yoga. I had several friends recommend Bikram Yoga to me and luckily there is a studio right by my house. Bikram yoga is a 90 minute yoga class where you perform a series of 26 poses in a 105 degree and 50% humidity room. Below are the poses performed:

I received a lot of advice before taking my first class and the most important was to hydrate. I had been warned that you may feel dizzy or nauseas during your first class but most important was to stay in the room even if you had to take a break from poses. Well I can happily say I finished all 26 poses my first class and felt pretty good doing it. And after my second class this morning I felt even better and think I have found a new practice to help round out my workouts. Some of the things I love about Bikram are the calming feeling it provides afterwards, the clarity I have at work after a morning practice, the ability to breathe more deeply throughout the day and the overall affect it has had on my body image and food choices. I finally understand what people mean when they say they eat to fuel their bodies. Bikram makes me think about my food choices as what is best for my body. What will help me get through class tomorrow without feeling sick?

David even noticed a difference when we were driving in DC traffic and he started to get frustrated by the other drivers. I just took a deep breath and said it will be ok. I am usually the one driven crazy by DC traffic but with Bikram in my life my perspectives and patience are beginning to change.  I can’t say that I recommend Bikram to everyone, as I found my first class to be very intense, but if you go in knowing what to expect it could be life changing.

A Change of Pace

As part of my quest to a healthier me I have begun adding more time to my current workout routine and making sure to go to the gym at least 6 times a week. Not only do I feel even better it has me thinking about other ways to improve my body, like yoga. I have tried it before and found it difficult. I am use to being sweaty and out of breath for an hour a day but to be sweaty and focus on only my breathing is another thing. My mind is normally going 100 miles a minute and to quiet it for an hour is extremely difficult for me. However, it is my new goal to practice yoga at least once a week. I know the quieting of my mind will help to make me a more centered person and the strength and stretching will improve my body and other athletic endeavors.

Picture from lululemon blog and hopefully me soon!

So, in search of a change of pace I began looking at new classes and therefore gyms. Now let me tell you that I love my gym, I have gone to Fitness First in Arlington for 2.5 years and they have been amazing. However, they offer a limited number of morning classes and to vary my routine I need more choices. So starting March 1 I will officially be a member of Gold’s Gym in Ballston! I am super excited about this since it is closer to my house and my roommate Stephanie is a member, yay for workout dates! I will keep you all updated on how my yoga adventure goes. If anyone has tips on practicing yoga please feel free to share!

What would you do if you couldn't fail?

Growing up I spent the majority of my free time in the gym. I spent 4-5 days a week perfecting my gymnastic routines and learning the power of discipline. I believe this is one reason my current gym routine is such an important part of my life and for that I am thankful. Gymnastics also taught me I am an extremely cautious person and this was often to the detriment of my own development. Fear has always been something I have fought with so when I walked into our Lululemon store and the banner said, "What would you do if you couldn't fail?" it made me think. What are the times in my life I have been brave enough to fail? What are the times in my life I should have pushed harder?

Love is More Powerful Than Fear

Thinking back on my bravest moments I find they are not in my physical activities but my emotional ones. I found the courage to leave a serious relationship when things were comfortable but I wanted more. I also found the courage to love and trust again after being hurt so deeply. I found the courage to leave a job and my home to pursue a new career in a new city. I am proud that over the last few years I have come to realize that love is more powerful than fear.

Fear Will Not Control my Physical Destiny

Now it is time for me find the courage to continue to push my body. I tried skiing once and was terrified so this year I am going to start all over and try snowboarding. I will get lessons, learn the basics, and learn to enjoy falling and not fear speed. This summer I will try wake boarding. With David having a lake house this is something I want to be able to enjoy doing together. Fear will not control my physical destiny.

Be Kind and Gentle with Yourself

I will find the courage to not care what other people think. As a perfectionist I feel I should look and perform perfectly all the time. So when I fall skiing or am not immediately successful at a new skill I believe people are judging me. I worry about it at the gym, at work, even while walking the dog. I never compliment my body and find myself only sending negative messages. This year I will be kinder to myself and my body.

IT Band Problems

For any runners out there, I know you will feel my pain. For the last 4 weeks I have gone to physical therapy twice a week and stretched and strengthened my knee on my own every day.  I have been the perfect patient and yet my knee is still killing me. I have been dealing with this knee pain for over 2 years now and have been told several possible causes.

1.       It is my IT band. I should rest and ice. This hasn’t worked.

2.       My knee did not heal properly from my original surgery. I should go to physical therapy. This is proving not to work either. I had electric stimulation, deep tissue massage, and ultrasound. None of these seem to be working.

3.       There is scar tissue from my previous surgery restricting my muscles. I should have surgery. Ha, after my last knee surgery I am not going through that again.

So, where does that leave me now? I can still bike, go to my classes, hike, and generally enjoy life. But does this mean I will never be able to run again? Maybe, but I am not giving up until I have exhausted every option. So below is my plan:

Continue to use my foam roller every day to continue to loosen my IT band.



My foam roller
photo courtesy of Amazon.com



I also purchased the Pro-Tec IT (Iliotibial) Band Compression Wrap. I will wear this during all workouts to help stabilize the IT band.

My IT Band Compression Wrap
photo courtesy of Amazon.com

Lastly, I am changing my workout schedule. On Mondays and Fridays I will start with a little cardio, probably elliptical to keep to low impact, and then focus on core and upper body. I will also do all my physical therapy exercises to continue to strengthen my leg muscles. Tuesdays and Thursdays I will continue to spin. This is a reduction by one day a week but I think it will be good for my knee which is now starting to hurt while spinning. Wednesdays I will still do my boot camp class but make sure that I am keeping my running to a minimum and focusing on my form. Hopefully my lower impact Mondays and Fridays will allow me more time to heal. The weekends I usually take off except for my long walks with Grace which don’t hurt my knee. If my knee begins to feel better I hope to slowly add running back into my regimen.

I will keep you all updated on my progress and hope that things turn around. Please let me know if you have any tips for IT band problems. On my bad days I cannot bend my knee past 20 degrees which limits by ability to walk so any help would be appreciated.



My Other Hobby and Love.....Exercise

UVA is not the normal college experience. The girls at UVA do  not gain the freshman fifteen and there were often times when getting ready for the gym was just as important as getting ready to go out on a Friday night. UVA is where I learned to hate and to love my body. I have struggled with my body image for a long time but know that the one thing that does make me confident is feeling strong after a great workout.


My reward for getting up at 5:30am every morning to workout….super cute gym clothes!


The summer between my junior and senior year of college I had a boring internship and an awkward living situation preempting me stay out of the house as much as possible. It was this summer that I ate less, worked out more, and lost 10 pounds. 10 pounds isn't a ton of weight but for someone 5'3" and already at a healthy weight it was a lot. When I went back to school I was complimented for my weight loss and it felt good. I knew that I could not continue with my unhealthy eating habits so I turned to exercise to keep the weight off. At this time my same elliptical and free weight routine became monotonous so I began to take classes. My spin and body pump classes my 4th year at UVA changed my life.

One day after a body pump class my roommate and I asked our instructor how we could get rid of the extra fat on our legs. Our instructor turned to us and said, “You are perfect. You need to enjoy exercise for how good it makes you feel, not how badly you want it to change you”. I had never considered how strong I felt after a class and how I actually had more energy in the day after a great workout. This one simple statement truly changed how I viewed exercise and my body.

My awesome bike which provides me with one of my favorite forms of exercise

I still struggle with body image, as I think most women do, but I truly love my time spent exercising. The time I spend outside running or biking helps me to clear my mind and feel ready to take on the day ahead. And the time I spend in my boot camp, body pump, and spin classes makes me feel strong and fuels my competitive spirit. While my relationship with food and exercise has been a difficult one, it has sparked my interest in nutrition, cooking and fitness. Stay tuned for more yummy and healthy cooking blogs to come.

My favorite exercise partner, Grace